C is for Cookie

I made these cupcakes for a cakewalk at church 2 weekends ago. I made 3 sets of 6 and they were the first 3 to go that afternoon! Here are step by step pictures...
I used icing made from Crisco, powdered sugar and water, tinted with royal blue icing. To get the furry effect I used the leaf tip. I left a space for the eyes on some but not on others. It doesn't matter really.Using the large round tip I added the whites of his eyes. Be sure not to let it peak but let it be flatter on top.

I tinted a small amount of icing black. Using the small round tip I made the eyes and the mouth. Don't worry too much about filling it in all the way. You'll see why in a minute. The one thing I did mess up here was eye placement. I should have put them more on the inside with one up and one down (more googley.)

To finish off the cupcakes place a mini Chips Ahoy cookie in his mouth. You can also crumble one up. I didn't think of that till later though. The 100 calorie Chips Ahoy might also be good to use.

They really were that simple to make. Didn't take a lot of time either. You could use chocolate icing instead of the black and even use upside down chocolate chips for the eyes.

I think I am going to try Oscar the Grouch next :)!

Oh all the YARN!!!! (with pictures)

The field trip to Raphine, VA was a success! It was a beautiful day and the drive was wonderful. The only complaint was that the trees weren't dawning their full fall colors just yet. The yarn shop (Orchardside) was so quaint and had TONS of yarn! The lady was very helpful and we used her expertise quite a bit today. But, we rewarded her well by spending a good bit of money in her shop. I finally got the merino wool for the tunic I have been wanting to make. I am so excited! I also got some yarn for a baby sweater I want to knit. And no, I don't really know how to knit just yet. We all found something we "needed" and each left there with a bag in hand.
On the way there we had passed the Apple Butter Festival which we all agreed to stop by on our way back. It was a small festival but had some really neat things. It was held at a mill. We talked to the owner and found out he and his wife bought it 16 years ago...knowing nothing about a mill. They were just tired of the city life and decided to do something else. That idea in itself deserves a blog of its own! The Amish were there selling things. I bought something very non-Amish from them but I can't post what it was since it is a Christmas present for someone in my family.
Then there was an herb farm with a great little shop and wonderful gardens to walk through.
I think we should take a field trip once a quarter! I have already started looking up places to take our next one!!

Ashley, Pam, Virgina, and me outside the Orchardside Yarn Shop.

A blacksmith at work.

A little Bluegrass band. They played In The Jail House Now and I knew it after about 3 notes :)

What is Pam gnawing on??? Actually, she's biting open a chestnut :).
Just down the driveway from the mill is the Herb Farm.
Here we are walking in the herb gardens. They were beautiful!
Our day was done. Time to go home. But not without one more look back at the "simple life."

FIELD TRIP!!!!

Today my Stitch and "Itch" are going on a field trip! We are heading down to Raphine, Va to a yarn shop. I have to admit, I haven't finished anything recently. Those baby hats are the last thing I completed. I made one for my great nephew which I didn't take a picture of...yet. I still have it. I'll try to get one of those posted. I am working on a blanket right now. It is all single crochet so it is super simple but can get a bit boring. I am making pretty good strides on it though. I am making it my house sitting project. I work on it mainly when I am house sitting. That will be 4 weekends in November so I should get pretty far on it. (I think I will take it on the field trip too. It should be a good car project :))
Of course I need to be sewing too. I am almost done with another tote bag. I have to change something about it though. (Mom, I might be calling you!)
I'll have pictures of our field trip in a blog coming soon. Till then...

Officially OLD

Well, I am a great aunt. I think that means I am officially old. It of course reminds me that I myself am not married and have no children. (Although I have no idea where I would fit an husband and children into my schedule at this point in my life.)
I think I am also officially insane. My principal has asked me to be what amounts to be a teacher's aide in a math class. It is taking one of my planning times which amounts to 4.25 hours a week. While I will get paid for it, I have a feeling I will miss my planning time. The group of students in this class is unreal. I have no idea what guidance was smoking when they decided to put them all in one class. No wonder the teacher needs help. Just when I thought things were finally calming down on the work front. Oh well!

My feet hurt!

I am tired of wearing nice shoes to work. I am used to wearing tennis shoes everyday but now that we have to dress up to teach health I have to wear nice shoes too. My feet are not happy with me right now. Next week I get to go back to tennis shoes :)!!

There is a lot going on right now. Too much to write about. I will get back into a rhythm of blogging again soon.

I am still here

It has been a while since I've blogged, I know. I have been a wee bit busy. Today was a pretty good day though, busy, but not too stressful. I seem to always have a "to-do" list that is about 20 items long. Maybe things will slow down in October. I haven't had any time to do stuff I want to do really. I want to sew but by the time I get home I don't feel like it. I am going to have to schedule it in I guess. I have a lot to do before the holiday house! I have a few bags cut out but I need more. Then I need to sew them all.

Well, I am pooped so I am going to bed.

About to drown

You know that expression "Keeping your head above water?" Well, I know now better than ever what that means. I suddenly hate my job. Every time I think I have things together and things are going smoothly someone throws in another tub of water. I am in survival mode. I feel like teaching my students is something that happens in the midst of my job. I thought that was my job...to teach. Instead I am busy doing a million other things. Then they throw a huge curve ball without any thought of how it would affect me and gave one of my 8th grade classes to another teacher and gave em a new 7th grade class. Which means I no longer just teach one grade. I have 2 preps now. Granted, I am used to having 3 but that was before I had the position of Department Chair. I feel like I am delegating everything I possibly can. I thought all was better today and then I got an e-mail from both my principal and assistant principal about a parent complaint. Not on me but another teacher. They said if I need them to intervene they will. I want to show I can take the responsibility to approach one of my department with issues but this teacher is new to the school but NOT new to teaching. He is the veteran teacher of the department. I really don't want to bring it up to him but I don't want to dump it on the administration because it is my job first and then theirs if he doesn't respond.
I am so burnt out at the end of my day I don't even want to think. I just want to turn my brain off and sleep. I don't want to do laundry, eat, sew, anything.
Is it June yet?

And now to add to my misery... I was so excited to get to take a banjo class that I could afford. I went to register and they have canceled the class. That was going to my personal thing to get away. UUUGGHHHH!